Recovery guide

Recovery support when you can’t get to meetings

If you can’t get to meetings regularly, online and phone groups, one-to-one support, a daily routine, and a recovery app can help carry the gaps.

Shift work, childcare, transportation, health, and living far from a group can all get in the way. Missing meetings does not mean you have stopped recovering. It does mean your support needs another shape for now.

Try online or phone meetings first

NIAAA’s list of mutual support groups includes several with online options. Try a few, because groups can differ a lot.

• Alcoholics Anonymous. NIAAA notes meetings in most communities and online. Start with A.A.’s meeting finder.
• Narcotics Anonymous. Virtual NA lists NA meetings online and by phone.
• SMART Recovery. SMART describes free groups led by trained facilitators, in person and online, without religious content.
• LifeRing, Secular Organizations for Sobriety, and Women for Sobriety. NIAAA lists these too, with online meetings, groups, or message boards.
• In The Rooms. This site describes itself as a free online recovery tool with more than 150 weekly online meetings.

Join with your camera off if the option is available and that feels easier. A phone meeting may also fit better during a lunch break.

Add one-to-one support

One person you can reach can matter on the days a group is out of reach. A sponsor or mentor, a counselor, or a steady friend can all play a part. Set a simple rhythm, such as a text each morning and a call each week. Building a support system covers how to choose those people.

Give the day its own structure

Meetings provide rhythm as well as connection, so replace some of that rhythm on purpose. A short daily check-in, a plan for cravings, and a regular bedtime are all small enough to keep up during a busy week.

What a recovery app can and cannot do

An app can hold your routine in one place, offer something to do during an urge, and make it easier to contact people. It cannot provide the experience of sitting with a group, and it should not be your only support. Look for an app that links you to real meetings and real people, rather than one that tries to stand in for them. Before you sign up, check how safe and private it is.

Talk to your care team about changes

NIAAA advises keeping a connection with your treatment counselor, because mutual support groups are usually not run by professional clinicians. If meetings are part of your treatment plan, or a court or program requires them, ask before you replace them.

How My Recovery Support fits

My Recovery Support is coming soon for iOS and Android, and it is not a meeting provider. For members, it includes a directory of established online recovery meetings that links to each organization’s own listings, so times stay current. From there you can set a calendar reminder and log your attendance. It also links to A.A. and NA meeting finders, and it brings together daily check-ins, coping practices, the Recovery Coach, and sponsor and mentor connection.

Even one meeting a month, plus one person you can text, is more support than none. Start with what you can actually keep doing.

This guide shares general recovery information and is not medical advice or a substitute for professional care. My Recovery Support is supportive technology, not emergency or clinical care. If you are in immediate danger, contact local emergency services or call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).